Joint sealing device



United States Patent Inventors Victor Weber Chicago; Leroy C. Wangerow, Hickory Hills, Illinois Appl. No. 718,145 Filed April 2, 1968 Patented Oct. 6, 1970 Assignee W. R. Grace & C0.

Cambridge, Massachusetts a corporation of Connecticut JOINT SEALING DEVICE 10 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 94/39, 94/51 Int. Cl E0lc 23/02 Field ofSearch 94/39, 51 29/235 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,354,586 7/1944 Fischer 94/51X 3,297,294 1/1967 Middlestadt 94/51X 3,364,828 1/1968 Shope 94/51X 3,395,627 8/1968 Barton 94/51 Primary Examiner-Jacob L. Nackenoff Attorneys-William L. Baker, Theodore C. Browne. Metro Kalimon and C. B Parker ABSTRACT: A machine for inserting preformed sealing strips in joints of concrete structures is disclosed having opposed V- positioned guide plates to guide the flexible sealing strips into position over the joint. Opposed vertical rollers in the plates compress the strip transversely and a pressure wheel inserts the compressed strip into the joint space.

Patented Oct. 6, 1970 3,532,032

5 3O 23 3O 2O FIG. 4

Patented Oct. 6, 1970 3,532,032

Sheet 3 of 2 JOINT SEALING DEVICE This invention relates to a device for inserting sealing strips into the joints in concrete structures.

Because concrete expands and contracts to a limited degree, it is necessary to provide concrete structures such as slabs in highways, airport runways, building floors, ramps, sidewalks, etc., with expansion, contraction or construction joints. In past years it has been customary to seal these joints with a plastic composition which more or less effectively sealed the joint, despite changes in the width of the joint as the concrete expands or contracts.

More recently, hollow rubber sealing elements which are known as preformed sealing strips have been used, and are an effective, long-lasting:improvement. The preformed seals are furnished to the'contractor preferably in lengths long enough to extend continuously for the full length of the concrete joint. They are forced into the gap, i.e. between concrete road sections, either by hand or by an inserting tool.

The present invention provides a tool which reliably and effectively inserts the preformed sealing strip into the joint space. It operates rapidly, saving labor'costs, and has the very distinct advantage that the temptation to poke or to prod the joint strip into the joint space (a practice which sometimes results in tears and punctures in the rubber structure) is entirely eliminated.

The constructional details of the machine and its operation will become apparent from the specification and, from the drawings, in which FIG. 1- is a perspective view of one embodiment of the machine of the invention FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic representation of. a narrow preformed sealing strip being forced into a joint space between'concrete slabs by the machine shown in-FlG. 1

FIG. 3 is a side detail-view of one of the side compressor members ofthe machine shown in FIG. 1

FIG. 4' is a front detail view of the side compressor members, pressure wheel and-pressure wheeldrive means of the machine shown in FIG. I

Essentially the machine guides the sealing strip into position over the gap between the pavement slabs, compresses the sealing strip, and tucks the compressed strip into the gap, seating it in the gap at the proper depth.

In the embodiment shown in the attached illustrations, the tool. 10. comprises an axle. 11. which is attached to a handle assembly, 12. by the yoke. 13. Two angular-shaped compressor side plates. 14 and 15. bear apertures at a pointjust above the elbow which allow the axle. 11. to pass through. The forward ends ofthe plates extend a number ofinches ahead ofthe main body of the machine and diverge outwardly at an angle from one another forming substantially an open V-conftguration. The two plates are held in spaced relationship at their forward end by the bolt, 16, and at the top by bolts 17-17 which extend through horizontally-positioned slots in the flanged ends 18-18 of side plates 14 and 15. The angle of convergence from the open end of the compressor plates to their rear may be adjusted through manipulation of these bolts. The forward ends of the plates are supported on the small rollers, 19-19.

Thin, replaceable, wear plates 20-20 are affixed by suitable means to the bottom of compressor side plates 14-15, close to. the concrete surface. The plates can be replaced when excessively abraded by the concrete surface.

The pressure wheel, 21, is attached to sleeve 22 and positioned between compressor plates, 14 and 15. Since the space that is left between concrete slabs to allow for dimensional change varies with the length of the slab and the type ofexposure, the transverse dimensions ofthe seals commonly furnished to the trade vary from about five-sixteenths of an inch to about 2 inches. When specifications demand. other dimensions, occasionally, are encountered. Seals designed to seal the wider gaps. 4 .14. from I'A to 2 inches. are placed in the joint space effectively by pressure wheels having a flat face which just enters the joint space. Seals ofsmaller widths. 0. five-sixteenths of an inch to 1 /4 inches. are more effectively placed when the pressure wheel. 21. has a single rib. 23. on the crest of an arcuate face. 24, It has been found that this shape tucks narrow sealing strips into the joint space more effectively than when the wheel is flat.

In order to prevent stretching and possibly slicing of the seal by pressure wheel 21, the pressure wheel rotates during the insertion operation. In the embodiment shown, pressure wheel 21 is driven through pressure wheel drive means comprising split clamps 25-25 which are tightened about sleeve 22 by set screws 26-26 and attached to support wheels 27-27 by pins 28-28, said wheels being slidable on axle 11 to selectively engage or disengage said pins 28.as shown in FIGSJZ and 4 respectively. The pressure wheel 21, particularly in instances where wider seals are being installed and the pressure wheel 21 preferably has a relatively flat-working face, can also be adapted to rotate freely on axle 11. In such a case, thepressure wheel is frictionally rotated when in contact with the seal during installation.

The machine is supported and moves on the two rubbertired support wheels 27-27; Downward pressure which is required to push the sealing strip into theslot is derived from weights 29, the number of which can be varied as desired.

These have a slightly smaller diameter than thatpossessed by the rubber-tired wheels 27-27, and so run above the slab without contacting the concrete.

importantly, eachof the side compressor plates, 14.and 15, carries roller means 30 on their forward ends. In the embodiment shown, such means comprises abank of vertically positioned rollers set in apertures cut in the compressor plates. The rollers are journaled on the plates at their top and bottom ends. The preformed sealingstrip is thus easily directed to its proper position, compressed and neatly tucked into the slot between the concrete slabs as it is pushed downwards, by the pressure wheel, 21. Obviously, channel bars orrods may be used in place of plates, 14 and 15 to support the roller means. Because the rollers turn easily as the device is pushed along the joint, the rubber does not seize. The tool can bepushed without excessive physical effort.

A second set of rubber-tired wheels, 31-31 can be furnished to aid in maneuverability, particularly when positioning the tool over a joint. Although this second set of wheels is not necessary, it is a considerable convenience and makes the work of handling the machine considerably easier for the operator. As the drawing shows, wheels, 31-31 may be supported from the handle, 12, by the frame member, 32, and the struts, 33.

It is customary to wet down the sides ofthe slot between the concrete sections with a material which momentarily acts as a lubricant and helps the sealing strip to be pushed into place easily, and then becomes an adhesive which sticks the strips to the concrete surface. Normally, this lubricant-adhesive is applied from a pressure device which is very similar to the conventional garden sprayer.

After the slot has been cleaned and brushed out, the slot is lubricated by spraying the adhesive-lubricant on both of the vertical walls of the slot, and immediately thereafter the strip is pushed into place by the machine. The machine of the invention can be equipped with such a sprayer (not shown) so that the lubrication of the slot and the tucking in of the sealing strip is accomplished by a single pass of the machine along the whole extent of the joint. Also, the device can obviously be motorized.

The seal is properly positioned in the joint space when its upper margin lies substantially along the top surface of the concrete slab. As is shown in FIG. 2 the sealing strip, 34, is compressed transversely between the compression plates, 14 and 15, and the roller, 30, the top surface of the sealing strip assumes a sharper and sharper V-shape. The projection of the pressure wheel, 21, into the joint space (a distance determined by the excess of maximum diameter of the wheel, 21, over that of the supporting wheels, 27-27) should be that dimension which will place the upper, outer margins of the face of the sealing strip in the approximate plane of the exposed surface of the concrete slab. v

Compressing the strip between vertically disposed compressing rollers after having guided the strip into proper position makes this device very rapid and very nearly fool proof. it is so compressed or narrowed that it drops down between the vertical walls of the concrete slabs easily. The vertical position of the top surface of the sealing strip follows a line determined by the surface of the slab and is accurate. The strip never is pushed down too far in one place and allowed to ride up too far in another, as very frequently happens when the strips are manually stuffed into a slot between the slabs. In highway work, this is quite important since a hollow formed in the placing of the strip often allows a small ice pond to develop which can damage the vertical margins of the concrete slabs.

We claim:

1. A machine for inserting a preformed sealing strip into the joint space of a concrete structure comprising:

a. an axle;

b. handle means for guiding the machine;

c. support wheels mounted on said axle;

cl. a pressure wheel mounted on said axle having a working face and a maximum diameter slightly in excess of the diameter of said support wheels, at least a portion of said working face having a width less than that of the joint space to be sealed;

e. two spaced, side compressor members having forward and rearward ends and extending, at an increasing angle from one another, forwardly of the machine, said forward ends being directed towards the front of the machine, said rearward ends being directed towards said working face of said pressure wheel; and each of said side compressor members bearing verticallypositioned roller means whereby a preformed sealing strip may be transversely compressed between said roller means and forced downwardly into the joint space by said pressure wheel.

2. A machine according to claim 1 wherein said roller means comprises a bank of vertically-positioned rollers.

3. A machine according to claim 1 wherein said pressure wheel is coupled to said support wheels, whereby said pressure wheel is driven upon rotation of said support wheels.

4. A machine according to claim 1 wherein said pressure wheel is selectively coupled to rotate with said support wheels or to be freely rotatable on said axle.

5. A machine for inserting a preformed sealing strip into the joint space of a concrete structure comprising:

a. an axle;

b. handle means for guiding the machine;

c. support wheels mounted on said axle;

d. two spaced slide compressor members supported by said axle each carrying a bank of vertically-positioned rollers and extending forwardly of the machine in substantially V-relationship, the open arms of said V directed towards the front of the machine;

e. a pressure wheel mounted on said axle between the banks of rollers having a working face and a maximum diameter slightly in excess of the diameter of said support wheels, at least a portion of said working face having a width less than that of the joint space which it is intended to seal; and

f. said pressure wheel being selectively coupled to said wheels to be either coupled thereto or freely rotatable on said axle whereby a preformed sealing strip may be transversely compressed between said banks of rollers and forced downwardly into the joint space by said pressure wheel.

6. A machine according to claim 5 wherein said compressor members comprise a pair of angularly related plates having laterally adjustable support means between the forward and rearward respective ends of said plates whereby the space between said plates may be adjusted.

7. A machine according to claim 6 wherein said angularly related plates are supported at their forward ends on support wheels and further have a narrow, thin wear plate removably affixed to each of the bottom surfaces thereof.

8. A machine according to claim 5 wherein the pressure wheel has an arcuate working face and a rib projecting outwardly from said face at the crest of said arcuate face.

9. A machine according to claim 5 wherein the said pressure wheel has a flat cylindrical face, and wherein the width of the said face is such that it fits within the joint space of the joint which it is intended to seal.

10. A machine according to claim 5 wherein means for increasing the downward pressure exerted on a sealing strip is included comprising weights fitted over said axle, the said weights being of smaller diameter than that of the support wheels. 

